Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The concept of the Court of Common Council grew from the ancient custom of the Folkmoot, when the assent of the citizens to important acts was obtained. This custom was continued by the Mayor who consulted the Commons several times during the 13th century. From 1376 the assembly began to meet regularly and was referred to as the Common Council. It was decided that the Council should be made up of persons elected from each Ward. By 1384 a permanent Common Council chosen by the citizens was established for all time. The Council assumed legislative functions and adopted financial powers, confirmed by Charters of 1377 and 1383. The Council has often used these powers to amend the civic constitution, regulate the election of Lord Mayor and other officials, and amend the functions of the City courts. The Council was judged so successful in the conduct of its duties that it was the only Corporation unreformed by Parliament following the Municipal Corporations Commission report of 1837, while the Corporation Inquiry Commission of 1854 suggested only minor reforms. The work of the Council is conducted by a number of committees, while the whole Council has the right to approve policy, confirm major decisions and sanction expenditure. The committees handle many aspects of the running of the City including land and estates, finance and valuation, open spaces, street improvement and town planning, public health, police, Port of London, civil defence, airports, libraries, markets, education, and law. The Town Clerk has held responsibility for recording the minutes of the Council and its committees since 1274.

The regulation of markets was carried out jointly by the Court of Aldermen and Court of Common Council which formed the habit of leasing the rents and tolls to market farmers. Supervision passed to the City Lands Committee and finally to the Markets Committee. In 1875 the work of the Markets Committee was divided between three separate committees, including the Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee. In 2002 the Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee, the Central Markets Committee and the Spitalfields Market Committee were amalgamated under the Markets Committee.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee, Court of Common Council, including minutes 1875-2001; committee papers, 1875-1956 and applications for spaces in Billingsgate Market, 1877-1894.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:English

System of arrangement:

In sections according to catalogue.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:February 2009

Related Subject Search

Administration

Administrative history

Commercial premises

Covered markets

Fishmarkets

Markets

Organisation and management

Poultry markets

Retail trade

Retail Trade

Trade

Trade (practice)

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Related Corporate Name Search

Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee | Court of Common Council | Corporation of London x Markets Committee

Billingsgate Market | Corporation of London

Leadenhall Market | Corporation of London

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Related Placename Search

City of London

England

London

UK

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